


Badges

by GreyHaven



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Not as angsty as it sounds, childhood fears, kind of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-09 16:05:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10415832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyHaven/pseuds/GreyHaven
Summary: Nathan recovers from a Trouble.  Minor spoilers for Nathan and Duke's back story.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Tumblr sentence prompt
> 
> “Can you just stop?”  
> “God no, why would I do that?”

Duke watched as Audrey steered Nathan into the bar and sat him down on the first available chair. Nathan was pale and shaky, and looked like he was about to be sick. That was the last thing Duke needed. Didn’t people know how difficult it was to get that smell out?

Audrey patted Nathan on the shoulder, making sure he was OK as she made her way to Duke.

“Can you keep an eye on him for a few minutes? I need to check on something.” She asked, being deliberately vague.

“Seriously?” Duke huffed. “What am I supposed to do with that?” He gestured towards where Nathan was sitting.

“That?! That is Nathan. Your friend. And right now he needs your help and so do I.” Audrey bristled at him.

Duke sighed. “Fine. Go, just...just go. But if he pukes in my bar, I’m sending you the cleaning bill!”

Audrey shoved Duke in Nathan’s direction. “He won’t. Now play nicely.”

Duke sat down opposite Nathan, who was staring at the table and barely registered his presence. Audrey had asked him to keep an eye on him, she hadn’t said anything about talking to him.

Nathan couldn’t feel himself shaking, but he could see that his hands weren’t still and he supposed the rest of him was the same. Audrey had brought him here, to the Gull. He didn’t really want to be here, didn’t want to the in the same room as anyone right now, let alone Duke. If Duke knew...well, Nathan would never live it down.

Audrey came back into the bar, tucking her phone into her pocket as she walked. She was pleased to see Duke had taken her orders and was sitting with Nathan. In fact, he seemed to be staring at him. Oh God. He’d taken her at her word and was very literally keeping an eye on Nathan. What was she going to do with them?

Duke stood. “Oh good, you’re here, can I go back to work now?”

Audrey sighed. “He’s your friend. Have you even asked him what’s wrong? I mean look at him. Does he look like a man who’s OK right now?”

“Well no, but it also doesn’t look like my problem either,” Duke reasoned, knowing he was fighting a losing battle and sinking back into his seat.

Audrey smiled, enjoying the taste of victory over Duke just a little too much. She pulled up a chair and sat down, resting her hand on Nathan’s arm. He turned his head to look at her.

“Feeling any better now?” She asked him, chirpily.

Nathan turned red and stared back at the table.

“OK, I’ll take that as a no, then.” She replied, sitting back in her chair and nodding her head towards Duke.

Duke groaned. Whatever was going on, he didn’t want any part of it. He could never resist Audrey though, so he tried. “Anyone want to fill me in on what’s going on and why Nathan is currently resembling a…” He trailed off, unable to think of a metaphor for something pale, clammy and shaking.

Audrey prodded Nathan who shook his head and stared at the table even harder than he had been before. “It was a Trouble,” she started.

“Isn’t it always?” Duke interrupted.

Audrey glared at him. “It was a Trouble which made you relive your childhood phobias. As you can imagine, it was chaos. Kids are scared of the most ridiculous things.”

Duke cackled. “What was little Nathan afraid of?”

Audrey gave up containing her laughter. “Badges.”

“Badges? Badges?! Not badgers?” Duke creased up.

“Badges,” Audrey confirmed, breathlessly, tears streaming down her face.

Nathan interrupted, snarkily. “If someone hadn’t stuck tacks in my back, I probably wouldn’t have developed a fear of badges. They have sharp bits!”

Duke had the decency to look apologetic for a moment, but amusement took over. “So safety pins as well, then?”

Nathan groaned and sank down. “Yes, safety pins as well.” He was right, he was never going to live it down.

“What about pins?” Duke asked innocently.

Nathan glowered at him.

“Needles?”

“Can you just stop?” Nathan growled.

“God, no, why would I do that? This is brilliant. I’m going to remind you about it every time you give me a parking ticket!”

Audrey finally gathered enough control over herself to say, “what about tweezers?” before she descended into fits of giggles again.

“No, tweezers are fine, they can’t be stuck in your back without you noticing.” Nathan shot a dark look at Duke.

“Oooh, that sounds like a challenge!” Duke grinned back at him.

“Fine, Duke, you want a challenge?” Nathan dared him. “Tell us what your biggest childhood fear was.” He sat back, waiting expectantly.

Duke blinked and stood without saying a word. He walked towards the bar, stopped and turned towards them. He raised his hand, pointing at them both, then dropped it suddenly. “Belts,” he answered, simply. He turned and walked to the bar, not giving them a second glance.

Nathan and Audrey exchanged a look, Nathan knowing exactly what Duke meant, feeling guilty for pushing it. He should have guessed. They both stood and made their way to the bar, ordering drinks and making sure Duke knew he wasn't alone.


End file.
